Sectional bookcase.



No. 681,479. Patented Aug. 27,166i.

n. HATCH.

SECTIONAL BOOKCASE.

(Appiication filed Nov. 27, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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PATENT REUBEN HATCH, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

SECTIONAL BOOKCASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,479, dated August 27, 1901.

Application filed November 27, 1900. Serial No. 37,910. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN HATCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sectional Bookcases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to sectional bookcases, one object of the same being to provide means whereby the different sections of a bookcase of this kind may be folded up into compact form for convenience in packing, storing, and shipping.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for hinging the end pieces of the section to the bottom, whereby a Strong joint is produced and the hinge is hidden from view.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel means of connection between the zontal section on the line woo-of Fig. 1. Fig.

3 is a vertical section on the line y y of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of Fig. 5 is a similar view Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but showingtwo the molding-strips. of one of the hinges.

superposed sections slightly separated one from the other.

Like reference-numerals indicate like parts in the different views.

The bottom 1, of each section of the bookcase is formed on its under side at each end with a plurality of grooves 2, which terminate a short distance from the upper surface thereof. Saidbottomisalsoformedonitsupperside, near its rear edge, with a longitudinal groove 3, which preferably extends throughout the length of said bottom. The end pieces at 5 have formed in their inner surfaces, at their lower ends, grooves 6 6, which when the parts of the section are in their normal positions he in the same planes with the corresponding grooves 2 in the bottom 1. Each of said end pieces 4 5 is also formed with a groove 7 in its inner surface, near its rear edge, the said groove extending longitudinally throughout the length of the end piece and lying in the same plane with the groove 3 in the bottom 1. The grooves 2 and 6 in the bottom and end pieces, respectively, are for the reception of hinges S, which consist of L-shaped plates or strips of sheet metal, as clearly shown. The thickness of the plates of which the hinges 8 are made corresponds to the thickness of the grooves 2 and 6, whereas the width of the arm 9 of the hinge corresponds exactly with the depth of the groove 2 in which said arm fits. The width of the arm 10 of said hinge also corresponds with the depth of the groove 6. The groove 2 is slightly'shorter than the arm 9 of the hinge, and said armis provided with a pointed end 11, which is adapted to be driven into the material of which the bottom 1 is made at the end of the groove 2. This tends tosecure the hinge 8 to the bottom 1 but the fastening means between these two parts is made more secure by means of a pin or nail 12, extending horizontally through the adjacent edge of the bottom 1 and through an opening 13 in the arm 9. When the hinge 8 has been secured to the bottom 1, the upper edge of the arm 9 is completely concealed by reason of the fact that the groove 2 is cut into the bottom 1 from its under side and does not extend through to its upper surface. Furthermore, by reason of the fact that the width of the arm 9 of the hinge is the same as the depth of the groove 2 the lower edge of said arm 9 will lie flush with the lower surface of the bottom 1 and be supported from the part which supports said bottom 1. This may be of course one of the lower sections of the bookcase or the bottom-support upon which the different sections of the case are mounted. The only part of the hinge 8, therefore, which is exposed in the bottom 1 is that portion at the end of said bottom, and even this shows only when the section is in its collapsed or folded condition. The arm 10 of each hinge 8 fits in the groove 6 of each end piece and is pivoted'thereto by means of a pin or nail 14, extending horizontally through the adjacent edge of the end piece and through an opening 15 in said arm. The pin or nail 14 therefore serves as the means for pivoting the end section to the bottom. I have shown the upper end of the arm 10 of the hinge 8 as pointed, as this provides for the convenient manufacture of the hinge. The pointing of this arm 10, however, is not essential, and I do not limit myself thereto.

Constructed as above described it will be seen that each of the end pieces 4 5 is adapted to be folded down upon the bottom 1. When said end pieces are raised to their vertical positions, the grooves 6 therein receive the vertical members 10 of the different hinges, and said end pieces are supported and retained in their vertical positions by the hinges 8 and by the back piece 16, which is formed with flanges, ribs, or tongues 17 along its end and bottom edges, which fit and move within the grooves 7 and 3 in the end pieces a and 5 and bottom 1.

To hide the nails or pins 14: in the front edges of the end pieces 4 and 5 and to provide an ornamental finish for these parts, I secure to the front edges of said end pieces the molding-strips 18, which have a tongueand-groove connection with said end pieces and are glued or otherwise secured in place. The upper and lower ends of the moldingstrips 18 are mitered or beveled, so that the upper inner edge of each molding-strip will project slightly above the upper edge of the end piece to which it is secured and the lower inner edge of the molding-strip will be slightly above the lower edge of the end piece to which it is secured. This provides for the overlapping of the molding-strips of the adjacent sections with each other and for the engagement of each molding-strip with two adjacent end pieces. Lateral displacement of the end pieces with respect to each other is thereby prevented and the joint between two superposed sections is made less prominent. The front edge of the bottom piece 1 of each section is provided with a similar molding-strip 19, which serves to prevent the exposure of the end of the pins or nails 12 and to provide an ornamental finish.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1.'The combination with the bottom and end pieces of one section of a sectional bookcase, said bottom and end pieces having grooves therein, of a hinged connection between each of said end pieces and said bottom, the same comprising L-shaped strips constituting hinges, the two arms of each of said strips being rigidly connected to each other, one arm of each of said strips lying within a groove in said bottom and secured thereto and the other arm of each of said strips lying within a corresponding groove in one of said end pieces and pivoted thereto.

2. The combination with the bottom and end pieces of one section of a sectional bookcase,said bottom having a plurality of grooves in its lower surface, said grooves extending inwardly from the ends of said bottom, and said end pieces having grooves in their inner surfaces extending upwardly from theirlower ends and lying in the same planes with the adjacent grooves in said bottom, of a hinged connection between each of said end pieces and said bottom, the same comprising L- shaped strips constituting hinges, one arm of each of said hinges lying within one of the grooves in said bottom and secured thereto and the other arm of each of said hinges lying within one of the grooves in one of said end pieces and pivoted thereto.

3. The combination with the bottom and end pieces of one section of a sectional bookcase, said bottom having a plurality of grooves in its lower surface, said grooves extending inwardly from the ends of said bottom, and said end pieces having grooves in their inner surfaces extending upwardly from their lower ends and lying in the same planes with the adjacent grooves in said bottom, of a hinged connection between each of said end pieces and said bottom, the same comprising L- shaped strips constituting hinges, the horizontal arm of each of said hinges having an opening therein and fitting within one of the grooves in said bottom and the vertical arm of each of said hinges having an opening therein and fitting within one of the grooves in one of said end pieces, a securing device extending through the edge of said bottom piece adjacent to each of said hinges and through the opening in the horizontal member of each of said hinges, and a pivot extending through the edge of each of said end pieces adjacent to each of said hinges and through the opening in the vertical member of each of said hinges.

4:. The combination with the bottom and end pieces of one section of a sectional bookcase, said bottom having a plurality of grooves in its lower surface, said grooves extending inwardly from the ends of said bottom, and said end pieces having grooves in their inner surfaces extending upwardly from their lower ends and lying in the same planes with the adjacent grooves in said bottom, of a hinged connection between each of said end pieces and said bottom, the same comprising L- shaped strips constituting hinges, the horizontal arm of each of said hinges being slightly longer than the grooves in said bottom, having a pointed end and provided with an opening, said horizontal arm fitting within one of the grooves in said bottom with the pointed end thereof penetrating the material of said bottom beyond the inner end of said groove, securing means extending through the edge of said bottom adjacent to each of said hinges and through the opening in the horizontal arm thereof, and the vertical arm of each ot said hinges having an opening therein and fitting within one of the grooves in each of said end pieces, and a pivot extending through the edge of each of said end pieces adjacent to each of said hinges and through the opening in the vertical arm thereof.

eled in the opposite direction and overlapping the other strip, whereby the joint between the two adjacent sections is made less prominent,

and whereby each of said molding-strips is adapted to interlock with the end pieces of two adjacent sections for preventing lateral I5 displacement of the same.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

REUBEN HATCH.

Witnesses:

HUGH E. WILSON, E. E. Wmson. 

